The Change of Qiblah in the Quran

Many scholars claim that Muhammad issued religious teachings outside the Quranic revelation. One passage they use to justify such a claim is in 2:143:

“ … We did not make the Qiblah that you were on only to distinguish those among you who readily follow the messenger from those who would turn back on their heels”.

The scholars use this passage to say that Muhammad received some external divine inspiration to ‘change’ the original Qiblah and this inspiration is NOT mentioned in the Quran.

Hence, these scholars believe it is ‘okay’ to follow external sources besides the Quran.The purpose of this article is to clarify this misconception and to understand the relevant passages from a Quran Alone scope. Let’s take a look at the passage in its entirety:

[2:142] The fools among the people would say, “Why did they change the
direction of their Qiblah [focal point]?” Say, “To GOD belongs the east and
the west; He guides whoever wills in a straight path.”

[2:143] We thus made you an impartial community, that you may serve as witnesses among the people, and the messenger serves as a witness among you.
We did not make the Qiblah that you were on only to distinguish those among you who readily follow the messenger from those who would turn back on their heels. It was a difficult test, but not for those who are guided by GOD. GOD never puts your worship to waste. GOD is Compassionate towards the people, Most Merciful.

[2:144] We have seen you turning your face about the sky (searching for the right direction). We now assign a Qiblah that is pleasing to you. Henceforth, you shall turn your face towards the Sacred Masjid. Wherever you may be, all of you shall turn your faces towards it. Those who received the previous
scripture know that this is the truth from their Lord. GOD is never unaware of anything they do.

[2:145] Even if you show the followers of the scripture every kind of miracle, they will not follow your Qiblah. Nor shall you follow their Qiblah. They do not even follow each others’ Qiblah. If you acquiesce to their wishes, after the knowledge that has come to you, you will belong with the transgressors.

This passage of the Quran teaches us the following:

FIRST
Qiblah is simply a focal point in which we face during Salat (contact
Prayer). In 2:145 we learn that during the time of Muhammad there existed
MULTIPLE Qiblahs and not just one or two. This is evident by the words in
2:145 ‘they will not follow your Qiblah… Nor shall you follow their Qiblah..
They do not even follow each other’s Qiblah..’ .

SECOND
Many scholars are under the impression that Muhammad’s ‘original’ Qiblah was
Mecca, then Muhammad was ordered (by God) to change the Qiblah to Jerusalem,
then ordered (by God) again back to Mecca. This means, according to these
scholars, Muhammad was ordered by God to change the Qiblah TWO TIMES. However,
this idea is absolutely fallacious because it stems from the books of Hadith
and NOT from the Quran.

THIRD
We learn from Quran that Muhammad was once facing a qiblah (let’s call it
‘unknown qiblah’ since the Quran doesn’t specify) (2:142) and then was
commanded by God to face the Sacred Masjid (2:144). This means that, according
to the Quran, the change of Qiblah happened ONLY ONCE and NOT twice as
commonly preached by Islamic scholars.

FOURTH
With the above Qurnic facts in mind, In 2:143 we learn that the change from
the unknown qiblah to the Sacred Masjid was to see whether the followers of
Muhammad would obey him in this revelational inspiration or not: “We did not
make the Qiblah that you were on only to distinguish those among you who
readily follow the messenger from those who would turn back on their heels.”
(2:143). This verse, by no means, implies or hints that Muhammad was to issue
religious laws NOT decreed by God.

FIFTH
We also learn that Muhammad’s ‘unknown qiblah’ was NOT a religious or divine
commandment from God; this is why the direction or location of the ‘unknown
qiblah’ is NOT specified in the Quran to begin with.

In fact, since there were multiple Qiblahs practiced during the time of Muhammad (2:145), Muhammad was unsure of where the ‘real’ qiblah was, and this is why God told Muhammad, “We have seen you turning your face about the sky (searching for the right direction)….2:144 ” These words indicate Muhammad was
confused as to where the real Qiblah was… and this is why the same verse reconciles Muhammad’s heart by saying: “we now assign a qiblah that is pleasing to you…2:144”.

SIXTH
Muhammad was commanded by God to FACE the one and only recognizable Qiblah by God; the Sacred Masjid (2:144).

2) Muhammad was originally facing an uknown qiblah that was NOT recognized by
God; this is because the ‘uknown qiblah’ was NOT specified in the Quran, and anything NOT mentioned in the Quran is irrelevant to our salvation (6:114).
Even if we assume the ‘uknown qiblah’ was inspiration from God, it WAS NOT a revelation from God because it is NOT in the Quran. Hence, the unknown qiblah is still irrelevant to our salvation.

3) Muhammad was looking at the sky for guidance for the real Qiblah (2:144).
And once God told the prophet to face the Sacred Masjid (2:144), Muhammad’s followers were required to obey him in that matter because it was a divine Quranic revelation (2:143).